Above photo: From @StopSteenkool.
The Second Annual Climate Games took place on July 4 in Amsterdam and beyond.
Here is the invitation:
The Amsterdam Climate Games is back … and this year it’s bigger, bolder, stronger.
Again you can take part in this mega action game with your own team. We promise an even bigger spectacle and better awards. The stakes are high with Amsterdam intending to expand its port in support of a growing fossil fuel industry. The city is siding with the losing team and playing more for profit and economic value than our climate and health! It’s time to interfere with the gameplay of politicians and companies and learn to take action and play the game ourselves! Your team’s goal is to secure a place in Climate Games history by winning one of our highly esteemed awards, while our goal together is to free Amsterdam from polluting industries.
Here are some reports, photos and videos from the Climate Games Facebook page.
First hour report:
Climate Games teams are storming the playing field! Here are some highlights from the first hour:
• Before the official start of the Games, “Pirates of Hambi” occupied 4 coal diggers in the open cast mine Hambach, Germany.
• By noon, we had “Black Lungs” highlighting the dreadful pollution caused by coal with their beautifully handprinted T-shirts.
• Then, “Beats against Coal” brought out their groovy solar powered sound system on Westhavenhag. Meanwhile, “Varken Muziek Orkest” made an intimidating piggy-warning: “You better stop coal, or we never stop playing!”
• With their little yellow car, “Koolgirls” welcomed everyone for a kool picknick, with Koola, cookies and sunscreen near the ferry to Zaandam, and enjoyed the view of nervous security personnel.
• A little farther afield, “Dirty Lil’ Monkeys” applied to be an Energy Operator at the NUON Hemweg coal plant, and are biking to their job interview.
Second hour report:
As the second hour of the Games ends, more and more teams are showing up in the playing field and carry out so diverse moves that our heads are spinning fast!
• Coal trains were given the right warning: you shall not pass!
• “Co2ffeekransje” sat on the tracks at the Harbour entrance to enjoy the sun.
• “Divestment Donuts” and dog cookies are on their way for the Blue Team.
• The “Rave Against Coal” is on the move in full swing, with beats to shake the Hemweg power plant.
• “Team Greewashers” are attempting to greenwash Team Blue cars.
• A familiar duo from last year, “Peppie En Kokki” are this time the first team to venture into the waters! They played tag with the Blue Team boats.
Third hour report:
• “Dial 1312 for Chaos” flew high in the sky a balloon banner for everyone to see: the Port of Amsterdam is HARBOURING DESTRUCTION.
• The Blue Team is not the only one to enjoy treats. Other teams are being served a healthy BBQ by the “Vegan Grillmasters”.
• The adrenaline rush of players on the run is apparent from the style of the reports: we have received some cryptic info about ‘storming the gates’ of the coal terminal.
• “Varken Muziek Orkest” have declared themselves the winner of an new category, ‘best clowns with instruments’. Will the jury agree? We will see that in just a few hours!
Final hour report:
• Games are fun and all, but as the team “Deadly Serious” reminds us, the list of species going extinct keeps getting longer. They have written their names on their naked back to highlight the fatal impacts of the climate crisis.
• An anonymous banner with a ‘Dunglish’ accent reads: “Kiep de oijl in de soijl”. Perhaps the Port of Amsterdam will finally get the message and start planning how to downsize their gasoline harbour!
• The team “How NOT to do an action” delivered their promise and played outside the gaming area with a banner drop in central Amsterdam. Aren’t rules are made to be broken after all?
• The Rave and the BBQ must have some common goals that they spontaneously merged into a Vegan-Rave at the Info Point. What a convivial way to close a Game!
VIDEOS:
Peppi en Kokki pesten de @Waterpolitie kansloze actie @StopSteenkool #ClimateGames @Politie_Adam pic.twitter.com/xzQ9CqDeKZ
— Menno Swart (@MennoSwart) July 4, 2015
For more, follow the Climate Games on Twitter and Facebook. Or check out the website at ClimateGames.nl.